"Well, just in case -" Cam produces another device and waves it around, looking for any signal of unusual radioactivity.

"Maybe, I don't know, depends on whether he's good company. Think I can get away with an overcoat or do I have to saw my wings off to go unmolested on the street?"

"Well, I like him fine, but I don't always hang out with the best crowds. He's a cop, that make any difference to you either way?"

"A small positive difference. Seriously, how much of a problem am I going to have being publicly winged, I don't want to cut 'em off but I will to get a nuke out of a city if I have to."

"If you can fit 'em under a coat, you won't get that many funny looks unless you act like you're expecting funny looks. Love the tail, by the way."

"Thanks, made it myself. I think I can cram them under a coat if I tailor-make it, which, what else would I do -" He folds up the wings nice and tight, and then he is wearing a long black leather coat which is sort of lumpy in back and over his shoulders. "Do I look street-legal?"

"Perfectly. Anyway, we're not exactly gonna be walking around in broad daylight." He gestures to his face. "I'm a little distinctive. C'mon, I'll drive."

"Why are you made up like that, anyway?" Cam inquires, following.

"If you're from the future, it must be a long damn while. You could say I'm kind of a public figure," he says. "Gotta have the image."

"A public image that involves messily applied clown makeup. What sort of public figure has that?"

"The Joker, of course." He smiles. "Sorry, sorry. It's a long story and kinda hard to summarize. You could say I'm an entertainer. You could also say I'm a retired terrorist. Although I haven't quiiite got around to announcing my resignation. Somebody's been hogging all the media time."

"How inconvenient of them. What kind of terrorism are we talking about?"

"Killed some people, blew up a building or two. Nothing too exciting. Although Johnny might have a different take on it." Out of the warehouse they go, and into a nondescript little car parked in the loading bay; he's still talking as he opens the door and gets in. "Those law and order types can be funny that way."

"Maybe I'll ask him. I can't think of a good reason for there to be a ticky Geiger counter inside a city, anyway, so I'm assuming you're up and up as far as that goes. We collecting your friend first or following the breadcrumbs?"

"Collecting my friend first. I'm sure he'll be very reassuring."

"We'll see."

"Mm. I don't think I got your name, by the way."

"Cam. Have you got a non-stage name, so to speak?"

"Not so much, no. Good to meetcha."

"Charmed I'm sure," says Cam, supervising the scenery. "Yeah, this looks 2012-ish all right."

"I love my city," the Joker says contentedly.

"Hence the explosions?"

"Don't you ever love something so much you just wanna set it on fire?"

"No. Demons have a reputation for being pyromaniacs, but that's because black holes took a while to discover so lakes of fire were the conventional disposal method for used stuff."